Bittersweet
by ascella star
Summary: Valentine's Chocolates Sequel. What Happened after their reunion, and Mokona's promise? Life goes on on both realms, time pass flying and before you noticed it, a year has already come and gone. They will be face to face again soon.
1. Some Valentine's Chocolate

Finally a year was over, and with it, the tormenting times for some people, approaches; for others, there's a nice day to share with that special someone. Indeed, Valentine's was just around the corner; you could practically feel it in the atmosphere.

A particular group of girls could be seen chatting animatedly, planning and preparing themselves for the oncoming activities for February 14th, i.e. planning, as every year how to make the best chocolate ever.

All in all, it had been a great year, Ran and Shinichi were inseparable, even though they fight for the most insignificant things, Ayumi finally moved on from Haru and Makoto and is now happy with a boy from an upper class called Ittou, for her part, Himeko is still very in love with Motoki, so once more she has disclosed what, in her mind is the ideal recipe for the occasion.

This year however, the fourth member of that select group of girls is more vibrant than ever. Hikaru has even said that she can not wait for the big day to come, surprising all of her friends; Ayumi asked for the reason, inquiring if there was someone special who they were not aware, but with a nervous laugh, she denied everything and just say that she simply liked the festivity.

Needless to say they did not believe her a single word.

They let her get away with it... for now. They would find a way to extract that information from Hikaru, and if the day came and they still didn't have anything, they would follow her, to find out the sudden joy for a date that not long ago was even painful for her.

Later, when they were out of high school, and on their way to the park, they met with girls from other schools, thus being a couple of familiar faces that joined the sweets talk. Umi and Fuu were also planning the big day, however, like Hikaru, Fuu seemed happier about it... although on a smaller scale.

The reality is that, almost year ago, on a March 15th, the girls decided to surprise Hikaru with an outing... but the surprised ones were them, at finding an overly cheerful redhead who did nothing but smile and sigh, that had a dreamy look on her face and that that seriously daydreaming and despite being physically with them.

After a little prodding, she told them everything, from the tears behind the wolf shaped chocolate, its disappearance and subsequent knowledge that it had appeared in possession of a certain magic swordsman, their meeting and the promise made by Mokona.

At first there was no response. Everything seemed too... amazing. But after everything that had happened to them in the past, it did not sound exactly impossible.

Hikaru felt a little bad for them, after all her friends hadn't had the same offer as her, but after a couple of minutes considering it, she convinced them that the next Valentine's Day, they make an extra chocolate to put with Lantis' and asking him to deliver them to those who they wished to.

Fuu accepted, not really convinced at first, but then with a glimmer of hope in her eyes. Umi however said that she preferred to wait and then decide how to proceed, after all everything could happen in a year span.

And apparently it was a wise decision, because a few months later, she met a platinum haired and brown eyed guy, an exchange student named Iguru, with whom, after several months of give and take, they finally decided give it a chance, an opportunity that they still did not regret, as the aforementioned one loves every dessert Umi can cook.

So they were now at this point, with Hikaru excited about the Lantis' Chocolate, Fuu hopeful that her chocolate could cross dimensions and reach Ferio, and Umi deciding how to decorate Iguru's chocolate.

Last year the meeting was at Himeko's home. This year, they decided it would be at the Hououji residence.

For obvious reasons, Fuu's older sister, Kuu decided to join them in the kitchen. It was an open secret that while she and Satoru were not really in a relationship, it was common knowledge among them that there was something more than friendship between them.

They cooked between laughter funny stories, between silly games and food. Finally the chocolates were ready in their molds, waiting to cool to be decorated.

It was at this time that Himeko, Ayumi and Ran decided to interrogate Hikaru again. Of course they did not count on having Fuu there to help dodge most of the questions thrown at their friend. After all, the secret she hid was practically the same as hers.

They were so engrossed in their talk / discussion that no one that Umi was unusually quiet.

she remembered Hikaru's offer to try and send a chocolate to Cephiro, and while she now was happy with her current partner, something in the back of her mind kept repeating a "what if" that din not left her alone. Some time ago, there was a nice Palu who confessed to have other feelings for her besides friendship, and eventually she also recalled to have felt something more for a certain Guru.

Finally, as determined woman she has always been, Umi decided to make two extra little chocolates for those two important people from her past. She needed to close cycles.

When the girls finally noticed them, she simply said that they are for a couple of friends that she had unfinished business with. Only two of those present understood the message.

* * *

The big day was finally here, and to say that Hikaru was nervous was an understatement. While their hopes and dreams were high, she was still worried that ultimately the magic wouldn't work, that their beloveds' chocolates were lost in the way to Cephiro or that the accompanying chocolates did not make the expected Trip.

Still, she tried to stay as calm as possible.

The routine for the day was the same as every year, there were girls everywhere delivering nice sweets prepared for their loved ones, the soccer team captain's fan club kept chasing him and every time they caught the poor guy he didn't know what to do with so many presents.

In the dojo things were quite similar. Masaru and Kakeru even seemed to have gained a few more fans during the year, and even the ever serious Satoru had gained involuntarily a couple of fans himself... those that fled after seeing the battle aura surrounding Kuu who was standing silently beside him. Hikaru tried to hide her laughter, and failing miserably, so she retired to her room.

She was laying on her bed, reflecting a little on how she was unable to remember a Valentine's Day as peculiar and somewhat amusing like this. It is obvious that this thought was somewhat influenced by her good mood at having a new hope; This year she was able to see couples without a sense of longing and sadness, but with the hope that soon she would also share a moment with her beloved one.

And while thinking of her beloved, she fell asleep, again missing the glow that surrounded the small package of chocolates…

* * *

_Finally!_

_This is the sequel for Valentine's Chocolate, which, is still in progress._

_Dynamics here are the same… almost. There will be at least a Hikaru's POV chapter, a Lantis POV Chapter and a reunion chapter before moving onto the next year._

_I hope you enjoyed this chapter :D_

_On a side note, and as established before, if you stumble on a grammar mistake, feel free to point it out. I'll be glad to acknowledge and change it_


	2. A sweet Surprise

Something had changed.

He did not know exactly what it was, but Prince Ferio was more than certain that something had happened to his silent friend. Maybe it was that strange glow in his eyes, or how his steps recovered a bit of the imposing security his walking conjured in the past... maybe it was the fact that he began to answer the greetings again... the fact was for some strange reason, Lantis no longer was the silent ghost that lurked in the halls.

He was not certain when it happened, but he clearly remembers the time he realized the change. It had been a morning that was not so different from any other, and certainly would not differ from those that were to come; He was walking quietly through the corridors of the palace searching for Ascot, when some voices caught his attention.

No, it was not the fact that it was too early for there to be many people awake, nor the topic of conversation which he could not even recall. No, what was interesting about this conversation, were the participants. The now not so small Mira and Lantis.

No, the fact that they were conversing wasn't alarming per se, but it rather was the fact that, for the first time in ages, the swordsman's voice held inflections of emotion and changed according to what he was expressing. When he looked closer, taking care not to be discovered, the prince almost died of a heart attack when he saw a smile on his friend's serious face... a smile! On Lantis! Definitely something strange was happening.

He dedicated himself to follow him that day, and the next, and several days later. His relaxed attitude was slowly gaining strength, and gradually everyone in the castle was discussing it, to the point it even became subject of whispers among the inhabitants of some of the surrounding villages... nobody knew the reason why, but the ice surrounding Lantis seemed to be melting.

Ferio, contrary to what many people might think, was not a gossipy person; he liked to respect everybody's privacy, mostly of those who he considers to be close. However the only most important things that were above privacy in his list were curiosity and concern for the welfare of his friends. It so happens that in this case both of them were combined in the same person.  
Finally his curiosity got the best of him so he decided to satiate it, and who better for doing it than the same source of inspiration. He waited patiently to corner him alone; something told him that, whatever it was that had happened to his friend, he would not like to share it with everyone. Finally almost to end of the day, he found him on his favourite tree branch... the one that some time ago, was his favourite place to nap.

Contrary to what the Prince might have thought, Lantis had already noticed that his friend had been following him for several days already, and he honestly, at some point wondered when he would dare to come and ask whatever was nagging him... despite of him having a quite clear idea of what it was.

So he decided to make things simple for him and just wait in the garden, he knew that he would appear sooner or later... and he was promptly proven right:

**\- So? Will you keep following me forever, or will you finally ask me whatever is it that keeps running in your head?**

Ferio was startled. If, at some point, he had hoped to go by unnoticed in his investigation, the swordsman had crushed his hopes mercilessly...

However, Ferio was a man with a mission... and a not yet satisfied curiosity, so facing his friend and without delay, he asked him what was wrong with him. The swordsman clearly feigned ignorance and even acted as if he knew not what he was talking about. After about five minutes of teasing the prince, giving him a small but honest smile, he decided that he could share his small happiness with the closest to a brother he had.

He told him everything in great detail; from the mysterious appearance of the chocolate, the figure it had printed, and the thoughts and memories that came with the candy... he told him of the subsequent encounter with Hikaru and how everything was Nova and Mokona's doing. He told him of the condition of the Valentine's chocolate and the meeting on White Day, as well as the clause of the five years...

The face of the prince held various emotions that ranged from disbelief to joy, to hope and finally some sadness; which did not go unnoticed to the raven haired, however, he decided to not delve on the matter, at least for now.

The prince gave him a smile that didn't reach his eyes, but sincere nonetheless, wishing him success in this new adventure and that at the end of the set time he may find the happiness that he had been denied for so long.

Ferio was happy for his friend, he couldn't deny it, Lantis was perhaps, among those who had lost more in the last pillar succession... his brother, his best friend and the woman he loved were lost in battle. At least now he was attempting to recover one of those... and even then he hoped that the space Eagle once occupied in his life could now be considered as his.

They agreed that it better if they did not talk about this with anyone else, because in the end, they did not know what the consequences might be if this news roll around the palace, or worse, throughout Cephiro.

That was how the prince saw how the magic swordsman did everything in his power so that the time would pass quickly. He saw him coming and going of all kinds of missions, he saw him help everyone in their daily tasks and even saw him train with Lafarga. The last straw was when he saw him take a few disciples in the art of swordsmanship.

Finally, according to both of them, the year was already gone. And yes, both of them were very nervous, one more than the other, but whatever was to happen, they were in this together. Both of them were looking forward to the chocolate sent by the fire knight and, in a strange show of trust and friendship, Lantis offered to share his chocolate with Ferio.

If everything went as they expected, the chocolate would arrive that night to Lantis's room, where the previous year the treat had appeared. They decided to retire relatively early, both knowing that the nerves would make it extremely difficult to sleep, but they were trusting that everything would be as it should.

And when sleep finally claimed the swordsman, a faint glow that went unnoticed, left next to him a small package with sweet contents.

* * *

The new day's light hit him squarely in the face. In his nervousness and despair he forgot to close the curtains of his window's room. Not caring much about it, He tried to return to sleep for couple of minutes until he remembered that the most anticipated day of the year was finally here. That drove him to his feet faster than anyone has ever seen him move that early in the morning.

He looked carefully in every corner of his room, until he finally saw it: a small package that had not been there the previous day. He quietly approached it; as if afraid it would disappear... until he finally had it in his hands.

At first glance he found rather unusual that this time it was not just the chocolate, but it was wrapped in a curious red paper; also, he could not help but be surprised to find that it weighted a lot more than what he remembered from the previous year.

His curiosity was at its limits, but he promised to share this with his "new" friend, so after washing and grooming himself to start the day, he went, to meet the prince at the garden where he usually took naps.

* * *

He opened his eyes and instantly he knew it was the most awaited day for his friend. He did not want to admit it, but he was anxious, and he doesn't really know why, but there was something in his heart that urged him to seek Lantis as quick as possible.

He tried to convince himself that he was simply curious about how it all had turned out, if the chocolate had indeed appeared, and maybe, enjoy the little happiness that was indirectly caused by seeing his stoic friend with his small but cheerful smile.

He admitted to himself that he felt slightly envious. He had also suffered, had lost loved ones in the war... but he was not given the same opportunity that was being given to the swordsman.

He supposed it was because the will of a pillar was involved... or maybe it was the fact that, after Hikaru's will, Lantis' has the most powerful will of the world... perhaps neither he nor his nymph were as persistent or as stubborn as those two, to deserve such an opportunity...

It doesn't matter, he was really happy for Lantis.

* * *

He knew where to find his friend, it was early enough to have already begun with his training, or that of his pupils, nor would he have gone to the dining room already. So he headed to the gardens.

And there he saw him, his back to him, looking at the sky through the windows of the palace, with a meditative attitude and a small package in his hands.

As if knowing who just arrived, Lantis turned around with a small smile on his face, inviting him to come and sit beside him.

Both of their curiosities were at the limit, while one was hopping to uncover the secret of the chocolate, the other was eager to know about the mysterious contents of the package, so when Lantis finally resolved to open it... both of them were greatly surprised. Inside the package there were four chocolates, two larger than the others, and with them, there was a little note that they looked upon cautiously but with a great deal of curiosity.

**\- Maybe you should read it in private; it could be a love letter... or an indecent proposal!**

A slight blush and a hit to the head was what he got out from the swordsman, who then ignored the suggestion of reading the note read privately, setting himself to do it just then. As the seconds passed, they gave way to a surprised look to set onto the usually expressionless face of the Kailu, which in turn fuelled even more Ferio's curiosity... who by this point did not know if he really wanted to know the contents of said note, or to remain blissfully ignorant. Who knows maybe the indecent proposal wasn't a joke and the last thing he wanted was a really detailed mental image of the things Hikaru wanted to do with Lantis once they were finally alone...

Finally Lantis folded the note and with a smile he searched for a candy with a certain decoration, offering it to the prince, who obviously sent him a look of utter confusion.

**\- Indeed, the note is Hikaru's, but this chocolate is Fuu's. Apparently she told the other girls what had happened to us and offered to try to get you in the case of Fuu and Clef and Ascot in the case of Umi, some chocolates. But she is asking us not to explain to Clef and Ascot the real meaning of their chocolate, as it seems that the Water Knight does not have romantic intentions with any of them. Therefore the reason as to why their chocolates are smaller.**

Ferio took a few minutes to react and assimilate what the swordsman said, and just like the first time, when Lantis told him about chocolates, suddenly thousands of emotions crossed his face, ranging from the infinite confusion, surprise, a little sadness... and finally a joy as big as any he had ever seen in the honeyed eyes of his friend. Lantis supposed that understanding had finally downed on him, conveying the hidden message in Hikaru's note and his own few words... Fuu still thought in the same way Ferio thought of her.

He took the previously offered chocolate with renewed happiness while a treacherous tear, not quite born from happiness, nor from excitement or regret, made its way down his cheek, either way he decided to enjoy his home made candy.

* * *

For a moment he felt really guilty of his thoughts earlier that day, finally he was being given the same chance as his friend, a chance that, perhaps was given first to them because of their stronger wills in order to make a breakthrough and being able to offer the same chance to others... or perhaps his stubborn friends had found a gap in their deal, allowing the rest of them to enjoy a fraction, however small of the happiness they were experiencing... he did not know, but he was sure that both Hikaru and Lantis had now his eternal gratitude for letting him know that his princess was still that, his.

A sudden realization hit them both, looking into each others eyes with a question than neither dared to ask. Hikaru had been very clear in her note, Umi did not have any romantic interest in neither the Guru nor the Palu so... how were they going to explain the candies to them, without raising their hopes on her? they were not entirely sure about the Master Mage feelings in the matter, but the suffering that they had witnessed in little Ascot after the knight's departure had been quite tangible. so, the question was, how to tell them that this token was nothing more than an offer of peace and friendship from the water knight without hurting their feelings?

They decided not to think about it for the moment and focus instead on enjoying their sweets, which were especially prepared for them by their beloveds.

* * *

There was some strange turmoil in the environment ... it had been for days now, but the great Guru of Cephiro did not paid it that much attention; after all, to his knowledge there was no threat to his people, a war for the throne, or an evil spirit who would want to take over the country or destroy everything in its path ... rather it was a certain aura full of excitement and joy that he could not decipher completely.

Guru Clef was not a curious creature, but rather an extremely methodical one, who liked to dissect the problems thoroughly to have a complete picture of the situation and then to act in accordance with all the possibilities covered.

This turmoil had him rather highly intrigued, not because its consequences, but because he could not properly discern the source of the energy felt within the air. He decided to investigate it further and have some reflection on the matter, until he found a likely source.

He was greatly surprised, because he never thought that those two strange friends were able to create such powerful energy... and not by its sheer power but rather its feeling of joy.

It was common knowledge that Ferio was a lively, cheerful person who always offered a genuine smile. Lantis instead is easily remembered as a serious, and sometimes stoic, apathetic subject. The friendship that blossomed between the two was a surprise. This in turn was completely unexpected.

He decided to get to the bottom of it. After all, there were few things that could escape the watchful eyes of the Greatest Mage of Cephiro.

* * *

_Hello! I know! It took me ages to update this, and to be honest it had been almost done for nearly three months... I just couldn't find a good time to finish it._

_But it is finally here... and I really really hope the wait was worth it..._

_I have already started_ _translating the next chapter, and I am currently trying to write chapter 4... so hopefully you will have some updates before the year ends_

_Special thanks to Antoinette Veronica, James Birdsong and GateBreaker for their reviews or alerts in this story._

_See you soon!_


	3. Road to White Day

**CEPHIRO**

It had already been a week since the chocolate's arrival, and even thought said sweets had not lasted that much, the constant unease about what to do with Ascot's and Clef's was increasing everyday.

The fact that the Guru had been watching them closely as of late, did not help them in the slight less. It was Lantis who noticed first this strange behaviour, because only a couple of days after the chocolate's arrival, they started to get summoned more frequently, they started to find him in the corridors and he even began to take his meals at the same time and place where the two friends usually do. To say that they found this weird and suspicious would be an understatement.

Ferio was the first one to crack. It was during one of those strange apparitions in one of the corridors when he decided to confront the mage. It is a shame that things did not go as planned, because with an ability born of years and years of being the supreme mage of the country, Clef answered the accusations as fiercely and then even managed to turn the tables and make accusations of his own, even managing to include Lantis in all of this. It was finally Lantis who, tired of this entirely useless bantering, one that was quickly degrading to something resembling a catfight between toddlers, that he decided that this was as good an opportunity as he could get to talk to the Guru about recent developments.

So, this was how, in an old study that used to belong to Lantis and Zagato's family, a Master Mage, a Magic Swordsman and a swordsman were reunited in hopes of a peaceful conversation.

Lantis explained everything that had happened in the last days, with Ferio's timely interventions, and always keeping an eye in whatever reaction Clef could have at learning the real nature of his own candy. Clef gave nothing away, not a single sign of discomfort, in his eyes there was only understanding and perhaps some kind of worry.

Apparently, Clef was aware of what his eyes were reflecting, because once the explanation was over, he voiced his concerns. They were mostly about both boys mental and sentimental health, because he did not want a repeat of the Zagato and Emeraude fiasco all over again, or even worse, the creation of a being of darkness born out of heartbreak.

His words left the guys speechless. Clef's words were harsh, and they felt that it was a little cruel the way he reminded them of the main reason why they started getting along. Then again, his words were true, so they silently vowed to never bring such a grief to their country and loved ones. With that in mind, and with somewhat heavy hearts, they parted ways to continue with their daily chores.

It wouldn't be until many hours later when their thoughts would be directed to the youngest of their group of acquaintances. If they didn't know how Clef was going to react to the news, Ascot's reaction was even more unpredictable.

Fortunately, or perhaps unfortunately, Ascot was currently off world. Some days ago, Lafarga asked for a vacation, so Ascot, Caldina and him could go visit some of Caldina's relatives in Chizeta while exploring the place during their stay there.

They were not expecting Ascot until next month; he would be back once the whole White Day drama was over. However that did not relieve them of the problem.

It was still amazing for some of the Castle's inhabitants, the way those three interacted with each other. Aside from their obvious physical differences, they could easily pass as a common family. Everybody knew that, wherever one of them was, the other two were not far behind and their way to demonstrate their feelings was so genuine that no one dared to question it.

This was the source of the three males' biggest worry. Not Ascot's reaction per se, but Caldina's wrath if they dared to harm her little brother in any way. When furious, that woman was scary… and unpredictable.

For now, they could only wait, and hope for the better outcome.

* * *

**TOKYO**

To say that she woke up a little disoriented was an understatement. At least in her mind, this day was not different to any other Tuesday before it, or any other after, she just knew she had a schedule and that she would be following it to the letter.

With the sun hitting her fully on the face, and fighting the impulse of just turning around and sleep some more, she finally got up from bed with the firm intention of taking a shower and attempt to fully wake up.

Once showered and with a fresh cup of Colombian coffee in her hands, she began revisiting her day's activities. She had classes until 2 pm, then she would eat lunch with some colleagues in order to discuss a science project due to next week, she also had to call Hikaru sometime during the day….

Then it hit her. Hikaru, and the chocolates.

So that was what she was missing! She seriously asked herself what was wrong with her! Now, she was mildly convinced that she could not properly function without a good cup of coffee. She tried not to choke on her drink while trying to find rather desperately her phone, now that she was completely aware of the circumstances surrounding this fair morning, she was eager to know what happened with the whole ordeal. Then again, why hadn't Hikaru called? She should know how nervous and anxious Fuu was, with her being directly involved with the experiment so, why? What happened?

Thousands of possibilities and bad case's scenarios crossed her mind, some were as silly as thinking that Hikaru's Dog ate her phone leaving her isolated; some were as sad as thinking that perhaps the experiment was a failure and the chocolates did not crossed dimensions.

But, what if it was really a failure? Would it mean that not even Lantis' chocolate passed through? Did they, in their greed, spoiled Hikaru's chance of happiness, damaging the small connexion with the other world in the process?

She decided to not jump into any kind of conclusion and to focus only in the facts at hand. She was going to call Hikaru and, no matter what her answer was, she would face it as the adult that she thought herself as.

If only she could find the damn phone…

Once she found it, her finger hovered hesitantly over the call button; honestly she was quite insecure about all of this. She steeled herself while sipping more of her coffee and pushed the call button.

And she waited for her friend to pick up…

And waited…

And then, she was sent to voice mail.

Voice mail?! What the hell! Since when does Hikaru send you to voice mail!? She decided that something wasn't right, so she called again. Finally, someone picked up the phone.

That certain someone sounded as if she was just waking up, and wasn't even aware of her surroundings. And when she heard Fuu's voice on the other side of the line, she was so surprised that even from the other side of the line, Fuu could hear how after a brief battle with her blankets, she landed rather hard on the floor.

Just from the sound of it, it should have been quite painful.

For a moment, Fuu considered hanging up and call later, then she dismissed the idea. She had already woken up her friend, so it was better if she took advantage of it.

**\- **_**Fuu! How are you? Is everything alright? To why do I owe the pleasure?**_

Yup, there was the Hikaru everybody loves and adores, the one that always puts everybody before herself… even if she was being forcefully thrown out of bed.

With a smile in her voice, and as politely as she could, she firstly asked her about her wellbeing, especially after that painful landing. Hikaru, as usual, answered with her well known "I'm fine" and at least this time, Fuu took it as the truth. Then she finally got around asking what she really wanted.

Hikaru was silent on the other side for several – too long for Fuu's liking – seconds.

**\- Fuu… - **There was something in Hikaru's voice that was ringing all kind of alarms in Fuu's head. However she reminded herself how she was only going for the facts and not suppositions, so she waited for her friend to say whatever it was that she was going to say.

**\- Fuu… it worked… Fuu, the Chocolates disappeared! It worked! – **Andif Hikaru said something after that, it became just white noise in the background, because Fuu's mind was in a whirlwind. She couldn't believe her luck! Finally, after all this time, her beloved prince will know that she still thought of him, that she still has feelings for him, and hopefully those feelings were still returned.

She ended the call with the promise of a celebration Ice cream after school, and asking her to text Umi to let her know about it.

* * *

"_The chocolate experiment worked, Fuu and I are planning on going for ice cream to celebrate. We are meeting in the park at two"_

She saw the message for the umpteenth time in the last two hours since its arrival, and she didn't know how to feel or what to think. Just as she had told them already, she was happy right now, her boyfriend was awesome and honestly right now she doesn't need anything else in her life. But then, why does the news left her with a bittersweet taste afterwards?

Perhaps it was because she had hoped that that chapter of her life was finally over. She was convinced that she had left behind whatever she once felt for certain mage, and this new development came just to disturb her well earned peace of mind.

As if all those years of sadness and suffering were not enough.

She also thought that perhaps she resented herself a bit, and that she also wanted for the experiment to succeed. It was the best way to set free all those "what ifs" that once plagued her adolescence. It was the best way to know if those feelings, that once were unrequited, after all this years were finally somewhat returned.

But if they were, then what?

She tried really hard to picture herself beside him, but no matter how much effort she put into it, she was simply unable to do it. Perhaps if this had happened a couple of years ago, she would have jumped happily at the opportunity, and would have been as happy and as eager as her friends, counting the days until the reunion time came. That was then, now she didn't want it.

Now she had grown up, she was over all that drama, and now she was full of new dreams and ambitions. She was not that cute fourteen year old girl that fell in love with a master Mage of another world, and that broke the heart of another Boy. Not anymore.

Talking about heartbreaks, Ascot was another matter completely.

To be honest, his confession came as a really big surprise, and up until today she didn't quite believe him. She had always thought that Ascot was not really in love with her, that he was in love of what she represented. Ascot saw her as the strong willed, and sometimes aggressive woman that she used to show everybody in order to hide her own insecurities. He fell in love with a fierce warrior that fought with all her might to save his home world. To her, Ascot was in love with the warrior, but not with the whole girl.

And she hated herself a bit because of that. Even if her intent with the chocolate was to mend a lost friendship, even if it was a Tomo almost Giri-choco, she could be raising his hopes for something more, something that she wasn't willing to give, and it could only end in more heartbreak.

However, what it's done is done, and even if she wanted to take the chocolate back, there was nothing left she could do.

Umi reached a conclusion. At the end of the day, she does not have something to be celebrating for, because she did not have real expectations in it to begin with.

She finally answered Hikaru's Text, telling her that she already had plans and to please excuse her. Then she sent another text, this time to her boyfriend, asking him out to lunch to try some okonomiyaki that she had been craving.

* * *

**Cephiro**

It had been some days now in which, at least in his eyes, Ferio had been acting odd. He have never been the silent and subdued type, au contraire, if properly motivated he could easily become Cephiro's best prankster.

His pranks were legendary, and whenever he was in the mood to play one, he used all of skills in his arsenal to plan them and then carry them out. Some people were of the opinion that he should use those skills to the better of the country. He never really listened to them.

At first, he thought that Ferio was in the planning stage of new prank, and that he had already chosen his next victim. Then, he saw that, instead of been glowing with giddiness at the future results, he had been nervous, almost frantic, like he was looking for something that did not exist.

This obviously worried him, so, seeking him out, he tried to nicely ask him what was ailing him.

And the answer he got was not what he was expecting. Instead of reassure him of the psychological health of his friend, it sent him into a panic that mirrored the others. He felt himself go numb as the words that left the prince's mouth sounded over and over again in his head…

**\- I'm looking for Fuu's present for white Day, do you have yours already?**

He couldn't believe himself! Of course he did not have it! It completely slipped his mind! And now he didn't even know what to give his girl that would fit the requirements of three times value, being it monetary or sentimental, should it be flowers? Candies? A Gem perhaps?

**\- Judging by your reaction, or lack of one, I must assume that you don't. Who would have thought!? The always serious and controlled magic swordsman of Cephiro is in the middle of a panic attack because he does not know what to give to his girlfriend in their next date! Unbelievable!**

The scatting comment was met with a death glare that, if looks could kill, Ferio would have been reunited with his sister and his brother in law sooner than expected.

Once the shock was over, they concurred that it would be best if they joined forces to achieve their goals, and look for the perfect gift for their girlfriends, for those wonderful, and strong women for whom they had fallen in love completely.

They briefly wondered if they should ask Clef to join the hunt.

* * *

_This should have been up earlier today, (I finished editing around 2 am) but I was really tired._

_If everything goes according to plan I may be uploading the next two chapters this month._

_(They were recently published in Spanish, so they are still fresh in my mind)_

_Special thanks to jheun15, Somariel and James Birdsong._

_And thanks too, to all of you who read silently._

_See you soon!_


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